There is an object detection device which detects an object being recognized such as a person, in an image shot by a camera. The object detection device is mounted into a vehicle, together with a camera, for example. The object detection device can inform a driver of presence of a pedestrian when the pedestrian is detected in an image shot by the camera.
An image recognition apparatus according to Patent Document 1 detects a degree of pattern matching by carrying out a pattern matching process on a search window which is cut out from an input image. Since the search window is set such that the search window and a partial area of another search window overlap each other, there is provided an area where a pattern matching process is carried out plural times. In the area where a pattern matching process is carried out plural times, respective degrees which are calculated in the respective pattern matching processes are integrated, so that a position of an object being recognized can be detected with high precision.
An object detecting/tracing apparatus according to Patent Document 2 extracts a potential area where an object is likely to be present from image data, and traces the potential area. The object detecting/tracing apparatus according to Patent Document 2 carries out processes for detecting an object in the potential area, on the predetermined number of pieces of image data, after starting tracing. A total sum of results of detection in the predetermined number of pieces of image data is employed as a result of detection in a subsequent image data which is to be input after the predetermined number of pieces of image data.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-70344
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-354578
The image recognition apparatus according to Patent Document 1 detects an object being recognized using only pixel data of input image. However, in some cases, features of the object being recognized cannot be satisfactorily extracted from the input image when conditions for shooting change due to mixing of noises or change in the object (changes in orientation or posture). In such cases, although the object being recognized is included in the input image, the object being recognized may be un-detected in the input image. Or, a different thing from the object being recognized may be erroneously detected as the object being recognized.
The object detecting/tracking device according to Patent Document 2 causes results of detection in the predetermined number of pieces of image data to be reflected in a result of detection in the subsequent image data. The results of detection in the predetermined number of pieces of image data are not revised. Accordingly, if erroneous detection occurs in the predetermined number of pieces of image data, there will arise a problematic situation where an erroneous result of detection is kept displayed together with the subsequent image data.